पुलस्त्य उवाच। यजतः पुष्करे तस्य देवस्य परमेष्ठिनः। शृणुराजन्निदं चित्रं पूर्वमेव यथाकृतम्
Pulastya said: While that supreme god was performing sacrifice at Pushkara, O king, listen to this marvelous account of what happened before.
आदौ कृतयुगे तस्मिन्यजमाने पितामहे। मरीचिरंगिराश्चैव पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः
At the beginning, in that Krita Yuga, when the Grandfather was the sacrificer, Marichi, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu—
दक्षः प्रजापतिश्चैव नमस्कारं प्रचक्रिरे। विद्योतमानाः पुरुषाः सर्वाभरणभूषिताः
And Daksha, the lord of creatures, all adorned with every ornament, offered their salutations, shining brightly.
उपनृत्यंति देवेशं विष्णुमप्सरसां गणाः। ततो गंधर्वतूर्यैस्तु प्रतिनंद्य विहायसि
The hosts of Apsaras danced before Vishnu, lord of the gods; then, accompanied by the music of Gandharvas, they delighted in the sky.
बहुभिः सह गंधर्वैः प्रगायति च तुंबरुः। महाश्रुतिश्चित्रसेन ऊर्णायुरनघस्तथा
Together with many Gandharvas, Tumburu sang, as did Mahashruti, Citrarathasena, Urnayu, and Anagha.
गोमायुस्सूर्यवर्चाश्च सोमवर्चाश्च कौरव। युगपच्च तृणायुश्च नंदिश्चित्ररथस्तथा
Gomayu, Suryavarchas, Somavarchas, O Kaurava, and at the same time Trinayu, Nandi, and Citraratha.
त्रयोदशः शालिशिराः पर्जन्यश्च चतुर्दशः। कलिः पंचदशश्चात्र तारकश्चात्र षोडशः
Shalishira was the thirteenth, Parjanya the fourteenth, Kali the fifteenth, and Taraka the sixteenth among them.
हाहाहूहूश्च गंधर्वो हंसश्चैव महाद्युतिः। इत्येते देवगंधर्वा उपगायंति ते विभुम्
Hāhā and Hūhū the Gandharvas, and Hamsa of great brilliance—thus these divine Gandharvas sang to the Lord.
तथैवाप्सरसो दिव्या उपनृत्यंति तं विभुं। धातार्यमा च सविता वरुणोंशो भगस्तथा
Likewise, the celestial Apsaras danced before that Lord; Dhata, Aryaman, Savita, Varuna, Ansha, and Bhaga as well.
इंद्रो विवस्वान्पूषा च त्वष्टा पर्जन्य एव च। इत्येते द्वादशादित्या ज्वलंतो दीप्ततेजसः
Indra, Vivasvan, Pushan, Tvashtri, and Parjanya too—thus these twelve Adityas, blazing with radiant energy.
चक्रुरस्मिन्सुरेशाश्च नमस्कारं पितामहे। मृगव्याधश्च शर्वश्च निर्ऋतिश्च महायशाः
The lords of the gods offered salutations to the Grandfather; Mrigavyadha, Sharva, and the illustrious Nirriti.
अजैकपादहिर्बुध्न्यः पिनाकी चापराजितः। भवो विश्वेश्वरश्चैव कपर्दी च विशांपते
Ajaikapada, Ahirbudhnya, Pinaki, the unconquered one, Bhava, Vishveshvara, and Kapardi, O lord of men.
स्थाणुर्भगश्च भगवान्रुद्रास्तत्रावतस्थिरे। अश्विनौ वसवश्चाष्टौ मरुतश्च महाबलाः
There stood the blessed Sthāṇu, Bhaga, and the Rudras; the two Aśvins, the eight Vasus, and the mighty Maruts.
विश्वेदेवाश्च साध्याश्च तस्मै प्रांजलयः स्थिताः। शेषाद्यास्तु महानागा वासुकिप्रमुखाहयः
The Viśvadevas and the Sādhyas stood there with joined palms before him; and the great serpents beginning with Śeṣa and headed by Vāsuki.
काश्यपः कंबलश्चापि तक्षकश्च महाबलः। एते नागा महात्मानस्तस्मै प्रांजलयः स्थिताः
Kāśyapa, Kambala, and the mighty Takṣaka—these noble serpents stood before him with joined palms.
तार्क्ष्यश्चारिष्टनेमिश्च गरुडश्च महाबलः। वारुणिश्चैवारुणिश्च वैनतेया व्यवस्थिताः
Tārkṣya, Ariṣṭanemi, and the mighty Garuḍa, as well as Vāruṇi, Āruṇi, and the sons of Vinatā, were present there.
नारायणश्च भगवान्स्वयमागत्य लोकवान्। प्राह लोकगुरुं श्रीमान्सहसर्वैर्महर्षिभिः
The blessed Nārāyaṇa himself, the lord of the worlds, arrived and addressed the glorious preceptor of the worlds, together with all the great sages.
त्वया ततमिदं सर्वं त्वया सृष्टं जगत्पते। तस्माल्लोकेश्वरश्चासि पद्मयोने नमोस्तु ते
By you this entire universe is pervaded; by you, O Lord of the world, it is created. Therefore, you are the Lord of all beings, O Lotus-born; obeisance to you.
यदत्र ते मया कार्यं कर्तव्यं च तदादिश। एवं प्रोवाच भगवान्सार्धं देवर्षिभिः प्रभुः
Whatever task is to be done here by me, instruct me in that; thus spoke the blessed Lord together with the divine sages.
नमस्कृत्य सुरेशाय ब्रह्मणेऽव्यक्तजन्मने। स च तत्रस्थितो ब्रह्मा तेजसा भासयन्दिशः
Having bowed to Brahmā, the Lord of the gods, the one of unmanifest birth, he stood there, and Brahmā illumined the directions with his radiance.
श्रीवत्सलोमसंच्छन्नो हेमसूत्रेण राजता। सुरर्षिप्रतिमः श्रीमान्स्वयंभूर्भूतभावनः
Adorned with the Śrīvatsa mark and covered with fine hair, with a golden thread and silver, resembling a sage among the gods, glorious, self-born, the source of all beings.
शुचिरोमा महावक्षाः सर्वतेजोमयः प्रभुः। यो गतिः पुण्यशीलानामगतिः पापकर्मणां
Pure-haired, broad-chested, the Lord filled with all brilliance—he is the destination of the virtuous and the end of those who perform evil deeds.
योगसिद्धा महात्मानो यं विदुर्लोकमुत्तमं। यस्याष्टगुणमैश्वर्यं यमाहुर्देवसत्तमम्
The great souls perfected in yoga know him as the supreme world, whose lordship has eightfold qualities, whom they call the best among the gods.
यं प्राप्य शाश्वतं विप्रा नियता मोक्षकांक्षिणः। जन्मनो मरणाच्चैव मुच्यंते योगभाविताः
Having attained him, O Brahmins, those steadfast in seeking liberation are freed from birth and death, their minds absorbed in yoga.
यदेतत्तप इत्याहुः सर्वाश्रमनिवासिनः। सेवंसेवं यताहारा दुश्चरं व्रतमास्थिताः
This is called penance by all who dwell in the various stages of life, who, observing difficult vows and regulated diet, engage in service again and again.
योनंत इति नागेषु प्रोच्यते सर्वयोगिभिः। सहस्रमूर्द्धा रक्ताक्षः शेषादिभिरनुत्तमैः
Among serpents, he is called Ananta by all yogis, with a thousand heads, red-eyed, together with the best like Śeṣa.
यो यज्ञ इति विप्रेंद्रैरिज्यते स्वर्गलिप्सुभिः। नानास्थानगतिः श्रीमानेकः कविरनुत्तमः
He is called sacrifice by the foremost Brahmins who desire heaven, glorious, unique, the supreme sage, moving to various places.
यं देवं वेत्ति वेत्तारं यज्ञभागप्रदायिनं। वृषाग्निसूर्यचंद्राक्षं देवमाकाशविग्रहं
He is the god who knows and is known, the giver of sacrificial shares, with the bull, fire, sun, and moon as his eyes, the god whose form is space.
तं प्रपद्यामहे देवं भगवन्शरणार्थिनः। शरण्यं शरणं देवं सर्वदेवभवोद्भवं
To that god we take refuge, O Blessed One, seeking shelter; the refuge, the god who is the origin of all the gods and beings.
ऋषीणां चैव स्रष्टारं लोकानां च सुरेश्वरं। प्रियार्थं चैव देवानां सर्वस्य जगतः स्थितौ
The creator of the sages and the worlds, the lord of the gods, for the sake of the gods' welfare and the maintenance of the entire universe.